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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26538130">His Sleeping Beauty</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/autodidactic_squirrel/pseuds/autodidactic_squirrel'>autodidactic_squirrel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Trolls (2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Literal Sleeping Together, Pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:35:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,405</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26538130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/autodidactic_squirrel/pseuds/autodidactic_squirrel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Branch and Poppy camping out one night. Poppy is asleep, probably asleep, or mostly sleep the whole time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Branch/Queen Poppy (Trolls)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Best Broppy, Top Shelf Broppy</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>His Sleeping Beauty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Poppy’s hair got everywhere while she slept. Searching for someone to cuddle was his current theory. Although, the idea she might just enjoy stretching it also crossed his mind.</p><p>Her hair had wandered over to his sleeping bag. It didn’t have that far to go, he wanted to be close these days. Not like before when he sleep as far as posible from anyone else.</p><p>He rolled into his side and watched her sleep a while. She was sprawled diagonally out of her sleeping bag, arm thrown across her face with her mouth open. Ah, Poppy...If only he had a camera, she looked so ridiculous.</p><p>But also uncomfortable. The way she was laying her hair spread partly over his sleeping bag and was starting to tickle around his face and ears. It was unlikely but he really didn’t like the idea of waking up suffocating in a big pink hairball.</p><p>He smiled, not that suffocating was funny or something, just it would never happen. Poppy, even asleep, wouldn’t hurt him. He was sure of it. She cared too much.</p><p>They both did. If only he knew how to tell her. Or even if he should tell her. Regardless, at the moment, he should wake her and get her back in a more reasonable position. He sighed and slipped out of his nice warm sleeping bag and kneeled next to her.</p><p>“Poppy...” he put a gentle hand on her shoulder.</p><p>She grunted and tried to shoo him away.</p><p>She was so adorable. “Poppy, you’re practically sideways and half out of your sleeping bag.”</p><p>More grumbles. No moving.</p><p>“You’ll wake up with a hurt neck sleeping this way.” Ok, she’s really not going to move. He smirked, he could get away with it, “Alright sleeping beauty, if I have to I’ll move you.”</p><p>“If I’m sleep’n beauty that mean I get a kiss?” Oops, he cringed, she was more awake than she let on. It still came out a sleepy grumble, but she’d heard him.</p><p>“Uh... maybe later.” He tried to sound casual, like it was a joke and they were bantering back and forth.</p><p>Poppy still had her eyes closed and seemed mostly asleep.</p><p>“Mmm. K...”</p><p>Branch worked hard to ignore how much that seemed like a yummy sound and how dearly he hoped she really felt that way about the idea of kissing him. He went around to her other side and pulled her to be more or less sitting. She was being a bit of a puddle and making it hard on him.Part way to laying her back in her spot she elected to make it worse by suddenly hugging him.</p><p>Caught off guard and over balanced, he fell partly onto her. He had only enough time get one hand under himself. The other arm was supporting Poppy’s head and back. There wasn’t time to move it, and he wouldn’t have, regardless—he wasn’t going to drop her—and so land heavily on his shoulder. Poppy, still seemingly sleeping, unless she was messing with him, kept her arms around his neck hugging him the whole time.</p><p>Branch managed to extricate his other hand from behind/under her and tried to move away. He shifted from one hand to the other in an effort to free himself from her hug, but Poppy was having none of it. As he shifted his weight she rolled, bumping his arm that was supporting him and knocked him over, ending up with her, somehow, landing partly on his chest.</p><p>“Oh come on. You’re messing with me now.”</p><p>“Nope, Ima sleep...”</p><p>“Funny,” he deadpanned it, but he also smiled. He loved being near her. If they were “together” this could turn romantic and be so cute. But since they weren’t... he didn’t know.</p><p>“Mmm.”</p><p>“Poppy...” he tried to sound disapproving but it didn’t work. It’s hard when smiling, somehow the smile still comes through.</p><p>“But I’m comfy.”Whining... he sighed, the things he put up with. He could lift her off him. Make a big deal of how heavy a lift he was having to do. That could be funny. Or he could tickle her, but she did seem somewhat asleep and he’d hate to wake her all the way.</p><p>Or, and his heart beat harder as he thought it, he could stay. Poppy was sprawled with her arms around him, her head and shoulder on his chest. All he had to do was not move and she’d fall back to sleep. If she didn’t have his arm pinned he’d have wanted to put it around her. Ok, he wanted to do that regardless, but it would have been tempting. More tempting. As it was, his free arm had come up to rest on her arm at some point. Probably as she knocked him over.</p><p>Branch closed his eyes a moment, enjoying the love and longing he felt for her. He sighed as he let his thumb rub softly back and forth over her arm.</p><p>“...Poppy, I need to get back to sleep.”</p><p>“But... stay?” The way she whined the word “stay” was meant to be silly, but pulled at his heart. How was he supposed to move now?</p><p>He swallowed and rubbed her arm.</p><p>“I can’t.” It sounded like an apology, and he was sorry to move. “I’ll wake up all stiff, so let me up ok?”</p><p>She snorted “ok...”</p><p>Poppy moved and sat in her sleeping bag.</p><p>Branch sat up and looked at his sleepy queen. Her eyes were partly closed and her hair a mess. He moved her bangs to behind her ear. She was so lovely. His fingers ached to caress her cheek and chin as he withdrew them from her hair.</p><p>Poppy... his beautiful Poppy.</p><p>He smiled at her and she reach her arms out to him pouting and making little gimme motions with her hands. He laughed, it was a mild complaint from her, she hadn’t wanted to move. But, he couldn’t deny her hugs. Not anymore. He scooted froward a few inches and wrapped his arms around her.</p><p>“It’s cold and lonely over here.”</p><p>“Aw, Poppy. I’m only a few feet away.”</p><p>She huffed in his ear. “Too many.”</p><p>He sighed. He felt his pulse accelerating again.</p><p>“Do you want me to move my sleeping bag closer?”</p><p>Poppy nodded. Well, he wanted to anyway. He broke their hug and she let him. He moved his sleeping bag so it was half the distance from before. But before he could get in it, Poppy grabbed it and yanked it the rest of the way over.</p><p>“Hey.” He crossed his arms in mock indignation.</p><p>“What?” She looked up at him, trying to be innocent but half smirking. He studied her. What to do now? He could try to sleep like that. He’d be almost where he wanted, but without expressing his feelings or figuring out what hers might be...Poppy patted the sleeping bag, grinning at him.</p><p>Branch gave in. If he couldn’t sleep he could easily move once she was.</p><p>He climbed into his sleeping bag and they both settled in. He lay on his back looking up at the sky.</p><p>“Good night, Poppy.”</p><p>Poppy shifted in her bag until she was right next to him. She draped her arm over his chest and snuggled onto him, hugging his arm and side.</p><p>“Good night, Branch.”</p><p>She nuzzled in around his shoulder. Poppy seemed to have no intention of moving.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> She wouldn’t really... </span>Would she... was she actually planning to hold him like this while they slept? Breathing was tough. He tried to keep steady, not breathing to deeply and letting on what he was experiencing. Her breathing was calm and comforting. Poppy squeezed him gently. She probably thought the contact was making him tense. Which it is, but not like she thought. Branch tried to relax. He moved his free arm to rest alongside hers on his chest, his hand on her upper arm, just above the bend of her elbow. It was less awkward to hold her too, rather than just lay there. He could rationalize it like that... He sighed, he tried not to, but it happened anyway.</p><p>Poppy obviously wanted this contact, these cuddles. But, what were they to her? Just friendly cuddles? He had only been to a few sleepovers, but didn’t remember friends cuddling. Not like this, in any case. He swallowed against the tightness in his throat, this was usually a thing reserved for couples. He leaned his cheek against her and nuzzled her hair.</p><p>
  <em>Kiss her.</em>
</p><p>His whole body screamed it at him.</p><p>
  <em>Just her hair. It’ll be fine. She’s asleep anyway.</em>
</p><p>That’s a reason <em>not</em> to kiss her.</p><p>Instead he hugged her tighter and sighed. She had to be asleep. He’d been holding her a long time, much longer than he’d ever imagined. She was so warm, and still holding him, too.</p><p>Poppy was almost certainly asleep. He could feel her chest moving as she breathed. Kissing her would be wrong, but he could get away with telling her. For practice. He hadn’t said the words aloud except in song. He could tell her. That was ok, right?</p><p>“P-Poppy...” he stumbled over her name. Why should he be this nervous. She was asleep. She wouldn’t hear him.</p><p>He whispered again, with more certainty, “Poppy, I umm...”</p><p>“I...” come on. It wasn’t real. Poppy wouldn’t hear him. It was just practice. When else would he get this chance?</p><p>But, it was real. His feelings were very real. He shifted a little so he could look down at her face as she slept. Her hair made it hard, but he could see her cute nose and freckles. He really didn’t need to see her. She was so warm and so close that all his senses seemed gooey, like syrup or warm caramel. She meant everything to him. How could she possibly not know that?</p><p>Looking at her, the words were easier. They just happened, like caressing her arm with his thumb, like nuzzling her hair. They were natural and right.</p><p>He smiled and held her tighter, nuzzling her hair again before whispering into her pink locks.</p><p>“I love you, Poppy. I love you.”</p><p>He must have squeezed her to hard or spoken to loudly, because Poppy move against him, settling in.</p><p>“Mmm, Branch...” it came out a happy sigh, and he froze and breathed carefully. She didn’t say anything else, but he waited. She’d made it again, that sound. To hear his name after, it made him want to kiss her. Need to kiss her. God, he was in utter agony <em>not</em> kissing her. He let his breathing deepen. She hadn’t woken up. If she’d heard him at all she wouldn’t remember.</p><p>But, he wanted her to know. Maybe he should wake her and tell her everything, right now? Not let the practice go to waste. He could. Maybe. He wet his lips and swallowed trying to relieve how dry his mouth had become. Was he going to? Did he have the courage? He looked again at the woman in his arms. His beautiful angel, the only woman he needed and would ever need. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, taking a few long deep breaths. He’d let his breathing get away and needed to calm himself.</p><p>He opened his eyes and looked at the trees and stars. Was he ready? It might not change anything, but more than likely many things would change. If she returned his feelings, possibly everything would change. Was he ready for that?</p><p>So much had changed already in such a short time. They didn’t have to fear the Bergens. And he was so different. Sometimes he didn’t recognize himself and his life felt surreal. But, not Poppy. Much as he’d dreamed and daydreamed about her, she always felt real. Solid. She was his anchor. He depended on her, loved and trusted her. He’d do anything for her. He looked down at her in his arms. He’d upend his whole life for her. A few strands of pink had slipped from behind her ear, he pushed them back, this time letting his hand touch her cheek her ever so slightly as he did so. And she smiled in her sleep and rubbed her cheek and nose into his chest. She was just so sweet, so incredibly... words failed him here. She was Poppy, and that was everything to him.</p><p>He should do it. He ran his hand over her shoulder and down her arm. He should do it tonight. No more waiting, trying and bailing. He should wake her now and tell her the truth. You’re... the most important troll in the world to me, Poppy. I love you.</p><p>He felt warm all over.</p><p>But, cool washed over him as disappointment welled up, he wouldn’t do it. He wasn’t going to tell her. Not now.</p><p>Then he shouldn’t get to hold her, either. If he’s too chicken to confess his feelings, he shouldn’t get to do this with her. He blinked back tears. He didn’t get to cry, either. Crying because he was weak and scared, that was worse than being either weak or scared. He wasn’t powerless. He was making this as a choice. Not now.</p><p>But it wouldn’t be never. He’d tell her. He had to. Just not now. Not yet. He wasn’t ready.</p><p>Well then, he worried Poppy’s shoulder with his thumb as he thought, he needed to figure out why he wasn’t ready. Any other project and that’s what he’d do, figure out why something wasn’t working, then make a plan to fix it.</p><p>Attempting to fix something when you didn’t know what was wrong with it, well, that usually ended in something more broken than when you started.</p><p>Of everything in his life, his relationship with Poppy had to remain whole, unbroken, even if it never went deeper than friends. Friends with cuddles, perhaps...</p><p>He sighed. He still hadn’t moved from holding her like this, and she still had a solid grip on him.</p><p>“What am I going to do?”</p><p>She didn’t even grumble. Sound asleep, huh?</p><p>He sighed again, he should probably stop sighing and start doing, but what?</p><p>“What would you say, hmm, if I asked you to be my...my girlfriend?”</p><p>Silence. It’s what he expected. Part of him not-so-secretly hoped she was awake and he could lie to himself that it had been an accident. If he wanted to tell her that much he should just tell her.</p><p>He should tell her. He pressed his cheek into her hair, Poppy smelled like home. He closed his eyes and hugged her closer. Why couldn’t this be real?</p><p>- - -</p><p>Branch woke up first. Evidently he hadn’t moved last night like he’d intended, and in the night they’d moved. He was hugging Poppy from behind, there was still a sleeping bag in the way, but this position... it was so intimate. His arms around her with her holding his hand and his cheek pressed into her hair his nose and lips touching her shoulder. His lip was very definitely touching her skin. He pulled away, not wanting anything inappropriate to happen. But felt resistance. Hair. They were tangled together. Oh, this had to be her fault. His hair was very well behaved.</p><p>Ok. He was awake, spooning with his dream girl, and didn’t know how to extricate himself before she woke up and they’d have to talk about it. The strands of her hair, like her fingers, were woven together with his own. Untangling them would wake her. Although, he could pretend to be asleep and let her figure it out... unless that’s what she was doing right now.</p><p>No, her breathing was slow and even. She didn’t seem tense at all, he swallowed, which he could tell because they were touching a lot. She was probably asleep, that or scary-good at pretending.</p><p>Branch took a deep breath. Ok, hair first. He relaxed his hair, trying to loosen the tangle enough to slide his hair free. It seemed to be working, too. Little by little, he could loosen a section and slide a few strands out away from the rest. He had maybe a third of his hair free when he got bold. He loosened a large section, hoping to be able to pull it away, now that the whole thing was looser, but he must have moved too fast. Poppy’s hair tightened around his almost as soon at he started to pull. Ugh. He was stuck again.</p><p>He needed another plan. If he lengthened his hair he could move and use his hands to help untangle them.</p><p>That brought up the original problem. How to move without waking Poppy... he tried to unlace their fingers. Knuckles got in the way, but he did eventually get loose.</p><p>Poppy shifted a little, rolling partway to her backbut settled again. It was only just starting to get light. Poppy was usually asleep for hours yet. Hopefully that would be true now too.</p><p>Turned like she was now, he could actually see her face. She looked so comfortable, leaned against him sleeping. Her expression was just so soft. His arms were still around her, and his nose just inches from her cheek. He couldn’t do it, but leaned his head forward, letting his forehead touch her skin and his nose touch her cheek. She was so, so soft. Longing for her, holding back because it wasn’t right. He was taking this liberty with her which was wrong, too, but, oh how much he needed her... he traced a slow tiny circle with his nose on her cheek, letting his skin touch hers.</p><p>
  <em>Indecent. Inappropriate.</em>
</p><p>“Poppy.” He whispered her name, feeling drunk from the contact with her. She murmured happily in her sleep, snuggling closer. Oh, Poppy. He pulled her in closer, as close as their bodies allowed without accidentally waking her. It would be ok, if she woke up, he’d tell her everything. He needed to, so close, so soft... he needed her to know he loved her so much. “Poppy?” Her name barely audible, but she stirred.</p><p>“Mmm.” That sound, that small happy, yummy sound. His body begged to kiss her cheek: a liberty he would not take. When he kissed her, and one day he would, it would be because she wanted him to, because they both felt this crazy need for one another. Because they loved one another.</p><p>“I wish—” that slipped out before he’d thought what he was about to say. The wish. What was it exactly? That he could tell her and know she understood? That he could kiss her? That they could stay, like this, indefinitely?</p><p>Poppy shifted a little more. Held in the circle of his arms she rolled in place to face Branch. His breath caught as her face nuzzled in around his cheek before she relaxing again.</p><p>“Oh...” his heart pounded in his chest. In this position—he felt her breath on his face, his chest heaved and he could hardly contain his desire. He licked his lips. There was no way. He would not, absolutely<em> not</em> kiss her without her consent. He loved her. That wasn’t something you did to the one you loved. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to control his breathing or his heart rate. </p><p>He opened his eyes and she was right there, somehow seeming even closer than before. He swallowed, he felt his insides burning with his need, realizing he shifted and moved away a bit. That was <em>not</em> something he wanted her walking up too. That idea horrified him enough to cool the flames at least a little. Not enough. He brought his attention back up and got lost in her closeness.</p><p>He’d never had her this close, he could see the individual lashes and count the glitter freckles if he wanted. He smiled, that idea was both amusing and disturbing. Who did that? Whatever, he was smitten. He accepted that. If only, he sighed, if only she would accept him.</p><p>
  <em>She can’t accept if he doesn’t share...</em>
</p><p>He decided last night he needed time. Wasn’t ready for this. He needed to figure out who he was and where he fit in their community before becoming her significant other, assuming that was some thing she wanted, too. He needed an identity of his own separate from her to feel secure. He didn’t want to be dependent on her for part of who he was. Of course, he was lying to himself thinking that was possible. His love for her was part of him. It always would be. He just didn’t want to be “the queen’s boyfriend” before he got to be known better as “Branch.”</p><p>He sighed, going over the lines and curves of her face, memorizing the little details he could normally not see. He’d try to draw her later. Maybe he should ask her to sit for him. She’d probably like the idea until she realized that, unlike Harper, Branch drew very slowly. Oh well. Maybe someday. He pictured some lazy morning when he got up first, coming back to bed to draw his sleeping beauty. Or his adorable and hilarious one, last night, oh, he should have had his camera. He’d have other opportunities.</p><p>He noticed he had been rubbing her shoulder and back absently, sighed carefully, not wanting to blow in her face, and stopped doing it. Choosing instead to simply hold her.</p><p>The arm she was laying on was numb and really beginning to hurt. He wiggles his fingers to stop the tingling.</p><p>Poppy sighed. He hadn’t done anything that should have woken her. He froze anyway. She shifted in place and smacked her lips together. It was getting brighter out all the time. She seemed to be settled again, so he decided to try shifting, and perhaps, reclaiming his arm. She was almost leaning on his chest, so he used his free arm to hold her against him and rolled a little onto his back, pulling her with him, and relieving in the weight from his arm. He slipped it free and Poppy grumbled.</p><p>“I know you’re comfy...” He whispered fondly into her hair. “I’m sorry.” Arm freed, he folded it under his head, he soothed her back with the arm still over her. She sighed and snuggled in, cozying her self against him, practically wiggling her face up under his chin. He laughed. She murmured again. At this rate he’d wake her.</p><p>Branch smiled at the probably-still-sleeping pink queen curled up against him. She was so perfect. So completely perfect.</p><p>He sighed contentedly looking up at the sky. His life had changed so much. Not too long ago,he would never have believed this could happen outside his dreams. Never in a million years. Now he could picture a future with her, one he really hoped to have. Branch didn’t have the details picked out, they weren’t important. So long as Poppy was there, everything else was negotiable. He and Poppy, together.</p><p>“What am I going to do?”</p><p>Poppy didn’t answer. He rolled more fully to his side, let his forehead touch hers, and, sighing, closed his eyes.</p><p>There were not enough words for what he felt, none big enough. Every time he turned around he loved her more. He couldn’t breathe for how full his heart was to be near her, and the way it hurt to leave her. </p><p>“Poppy?” I need you. I need you to know before I can’t hold it back any longer I explode, just bits and pieces of me everywhere. “I need your help.”</p><p>She murmured softly.</p><p>“There’s this amazing girl. God, I can’t even talk about how she makes me feel, it’s just... so much.” He looked at her lovely freckles and lightly bumps her nose with his. “I love her so so much, it feels like it’s killing me.”</p><p>He caressed her shoulder, his fingers trailed down her arm and took her hand in his.</p><p>“Please help me, Poppy. I’m too scared to tell her, but I can’t live without her.” Holding the her hand to his cheek, the softness makes him tingle. “I... I need you so much.” She nudged him with her nose in her sleep, oblivious to the emotional mess he’s making of himself. “Won’t you wake up and just,” he closed his eyes pressing her hands into his cheek and grit his teeth, “if you have to, put me out of my misery? If we’ve got no chance... I can’t keep going like this. I’m going crazy not telling you.”</p><p>Branch relaxed his grip on her hand, and let his tears fall. He was such a fool, thinking she could love him. She’s the queen, he’s lucky she’s even friends with him and here he was trying to ruin that.</p><p>Poppy. Beautiful, sweet Poppy. She had his heart, his love and devotion, he’d go anywhere to be with her. How could she not see that? How could he not tell her for yet another day?</p><p>
  <em>Everyday I ask myself</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If today I’m brave enough</em>
  <br/>
  <em>To take the risk and tell you</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And to lose you if you say no?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I’m not one to gamble</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If I can’t afford to lose.</em>
  <br/>
  <em>No matter what the prize</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I can’t pay if the price is you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So I’m stuck here forever,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Longing lovesick fool,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Waiting for that impossible day</em>
  <br/>
  <em>When I’ll express my love to you.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>That can’t be right. Branch can’t wait forever, never telling her how he feels. It would crush him to keep it hidden. He already can hardly bear it and it’s only been a few months.</p><p>Only their hair remained entwined, so pulled himself away from her, lengthening his hair as he does. Branch reached out and ran his fingers through her’s to start untangling them. Her hair relaxed under his touch immediately and his hair slipped free. Poppy must think he’s going to brush it for her. He didn’t have a comb, but ran his fingers through it a few times as she purred.</p><p>He sat on a nearby rock watching her sleep, still feeling the warmth of her against him, his body aching to hold her. He didn’t get up just to give in and crawl back.</p><p>But it’s tempting.</p><p>So tempting.</p><p>He sighed and instead started packing up their camp and setting up for breakfast.</p>
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